INITIATIVES

Revolving Loan Fund Economic Development Brownfields Entrepreneurial Development Rural Business Assistance LOGIC Workforce Training Business Recovery Section 219 Initiative LUCA Technical Assistance Technical Assistance

LOCAL UPDATE OF CENSUS ADDRESSES (LUCA) PROGRAM

LUCA is the Decennial census partnership program that allows tribal, state, and local governments to review and update the Census Bureau's Address List. Census data is used in a number of iimportant ways including:

• Appropriation of Congressional seats
• Appropriation of Federal funds to state, tribal, and government agencies
• State funds distribution
• Accurate local statistical data
• Data for community

Because various sources of funds are tied to census counts, it is vitally important that an accurate census count be conducted in 2010.  A crucial element is to have accurate addresses.  Furthermore, the street and address range information the Census Bureau collects is integrated into the TIGER line files.  This computer generated map of streets nationwide is used as a base map for many mapping services such as Mapquest and Google maps.  Many GPS and 911 mapping services use the TIGER line files as a base file. An error in a street name, a wrong or missing address range, or not having new streets updated can carry forward into those applications.  Local government participation helps to ensure accurate and up to date street maps and address ranges and an accurate decennial census for YOUR community.

To assist local governments with the LUCA project, the Acadiana Regional Planning District is offering to provide technical assistance at a nominal cost.  The scope of work ARDD is offering is as follows:

• Help set up a local committee comprised of persons or agency representatives that have access to information that can be useful in updating streets and address ranges.
  
• Provide coordination of data collection activities among various data sources.
  
• Provide quality control oversight over the data being collected and submitted.
  
• Provide training for the person designated to collect and enter the data in software provided by the Census Bureau.
  
• Conduct a final review of the data entered into the Census Bureau software for accuracy.
  
• Package the data and submit to the Census Bureau in accordance with their specifications.
  

**Timeline:  January, 2008 to June, 2008.

For more information on this project, call Grayling Hadnott at 337-886-7782 or email ghadnott@ardd.org.